On the water Race Officer Charles Darley set a course beginning with a windward leg to Clynder, thence zigzagging back and forth across the loch.
Catriona, with guest helm Gordon Mucklow, started at the favoured shore end. Just an arms reach from the shore before she tacked. The good start paid and she gently made ground to windward against Teal, who was characteristically on the pace. Wind towards the Clynder shore was unkind to the light blue boat. Wind backing favoured the boats to leeward. Zephyrus, benefiting from crew Felix Taylor, crossed in front of the fleet having sailed close to the Clynder shore. Meanwhile, those who had delayed their trip across the loch had a favoured streak of wind into the mark. It was Hermes who led the downwind leg to G, off Shandon. She, however, rounded G on the wrong side and failed to correct the error. The rest of her race was purely for practice.
Unusually, tacking was only needed at marks for the rest of the race. Which included a second round. Those who could make their spinnakers work with the wind well forward of the mast did well. On the fine reach from G, back across the loch to Silvers, there was luffing between Thalia and Halcyone. To the benefit of Catriona. Athene too was going well and gained a place on each subsequent leg.
Catriona made Teal concentrate so as to keep her first place. Which she did by dint of superior handling of the spinnaker.
1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Halcyone, 4 Athene, 5 Thalia, 6 Zephyrus, 7 Thia. Hermes RTD. Galatea DNF.
President: